Morning journal and courier., 1887-05-24
THE ELEPHANFA CAVES.

Renares-Snakess Vultures ana E1lo"
 phants.
 Following is private letter received by New Haven friends from western gentle man who was formerly of New Haven:
 HoNa KONG, March 3, 1SS7.-We certainly have much to be thankful for in our long continued good health while exposed to dan gerous changes of climate; and as we were afterward informed, to raging epidemic of cholera and typhoid fever in the European quarter of Calcutta, also for our many hap py and peaceful voyages after passing fresh
 made wrecks, aud learning of gales and cy- clones encountered by preceding ships on our line The fine steamer Nepaul, after leaving
 us safely at Bombay, before completing her
 voyage, ran down another steamer, leaving
 more than eighty unfortunate passengers
 buried in the ocean; and as the courts have placed the entire blame on our good steamer l fear the kind captain who afforded us so many happy hours by his friendly offices will end his days in dungeon. Thus far we have passed placidlv between all the dangerous elements, both on the land and sea, and should we be spared to reach home will have lifetime pleasant remembrance of scenes only obtained by the risk of life and health.
 On Christmas day, while the therm mometer at home stood 35 degrees below zero, I well recollect, we were in our thin summer cloth ing with pleasant party making an excur- sion from Bombay to Elephanta caves. These wonderful caves, the subject of pictures in our school books, are on an island: and after reaching the shore tedious flight ot stone steps climbed; and to avoid the intense heat and numberless poisonous serpents which infest the island we were comfortably seated in Sedan chairs on the shoulders of eight natives. And here we overheard the only unkind remark of entire journey: q have given them a sovereign to drop him on the way down." If the envious rascal was in earnest he lost his money and we were saved being sunstruck. The man in charge had killed during the season ninety-two cobras-a deadly snake-large numbers of them summing themselves on the very steps over which we were carried. Speaking of snakes, a python was recently captured at Singapore, whose body was twenty feet long and ten inches in diameter. The Ele- phanta caves wonderful excavation 1n the solid rock of apartments with lofty carved pillars and hundreds of life-siZe figures rep resenting gods and goddesses. After leaving Bombay our first stop was at Jeypoor, 8 province enjoying self-government. The Maharajah promptly granted us permission to visit his city palace and stables of three hundred horses and forty elephants, also his palace at Ambar, sending one of his ele- phants to take us to Ambar. While enjoy ing our romantic elephant trip we saw a herd of wild boars, and wild monkeys capered through the bushes and trees quite near, and we were told that tigers were often seen in the grove where we were rambling. While at Delhi and Agra we had our greatest feast of sight seeing in the world-renowned pal aces and tombs built by the great moguls, and there is nothing equal to them in cost and splendor in the world. The Palace of the Great Moguls is a wonder and dazzling in L ,laAs. luxuries. One might expect that an actual view of the we'll known wonderful Tai Mahal, like the Pyramids or Niagara, would at first disappoint the eye; but not so-you are at once lost in enthusiastic admiration, and many repeated visits will only intensity your emotions. This wonder of Agra is colossal tomb built by the emperor, Shah Tehan, in memory of his favorite and much loved wife; and no queen had ever such a monument. Twenty thousand workmen were employed twenty-two years in it's construction; and the country searched for artists, gems and precious stones in it's ornamentation and ore can never see enough of this wonderful work of art. At Cawnpore and Lucknow you have at every turn relics and ruins to remind you of the great rebellion thirty years ago. A spacious enclosure containing one hundred elephants, with keeper for each, was very interesting to us. The large enclosure was alive with elephants moving from point to peint-while there, very wild elephant broke loose from his chains and made an at tack on another elephant with terrific shrieks. A dozen elephants, driven by their keepers, were at once On the scene and succeeded in getting him back to his pen. I hastened to the exit, as our guide had just stated that one got loose 8 short time since and killed twenty men. Monkey village was also very interesting. A wealthy native outside of Lucknow being monkey worshipper (you know these heathen natives not only worship idols but snakes. COWS, birds, alligators, etc. ) had for years given the wild monkeys daily meal, and more than two thousand were at all times ready for the dinner. On driving to the place our guide gave shout and the monkeys swarmed out of the woods in every direction, many climbing into the carriage for the food we had brought, some immense fellows and many babies carried by their mothers, and it all was 8 sight we can never forget. After leaving Bombay you see from the cars thousands of monkeys, wild pea cocks, (yery beautifuD parrots, deer and many small animals, very large storks and all are quite tame.
 Our next stop was at the sacred city of Benares, where are five thousand temples and shrines, and thousands of pilgrims daily en- ter the city from every part of India. They worship the sacred river Ganges and crowds can at all times be seen, men, women and children. bathing on the river bank. We took seats on the high deck of a river boat and were rowed up and down the banks to view the crowd of bathing worshippers and also stopped at the burning Chats where all, high and low, are cremated. There were four bodies on the pyres ready for the torch, which was applied in our presence, and we left the fierce flame to do it's sickening work, our boat nearly passing over two dead bodies floating in the river. Such is human life in 8 heathen country. The Parsees, a strong and wealthy element in Bombay, give their bodies to the vultures. They have their ''silent towers" in Bombay within an en- closure of elegant grounds protected by high walls, through which none can enter without written permit This we obtained and were received by the syke in showing us through the temples and grounds. Hundreds of vultures were perch ed on the walls of the towers waiting for their sickening feast. Bodies are daily taken into the towers, where the covering is re- moved, the door again closed and thus left in two hours nothing but bones are left. We of course made long visits in Calcutta and Bombay and I could easily fill my letter with the interesting sights of either city. The lovely island of Ceylon is also worth an en- tire letter. was obliged to leave Hong Kong before finishing my letter and am now writing from Kobe, Japan. We went through Canton before leaving the China is the representative city of China-and to see it thoroughly is to see China in all its best, and also most forbid ding elements. John Chinanan is the same individual everywhere and all China cities are alike. The streets of this large city of one and a half millions of people are not wider than eight feet, and many not half that width. Palanquins are only used, no wheels seen. Our party of four and guide made an imposing proce sion of five palanquins, carried by fifteen coolies. Many travellers speak of their constant fear in Canton, and being greeted as foreign devils" |" with an ominous wave of the hand across the throat. During our pleasant steamer passage from Hong Kong on the river Pearl, there were thousand or more Chinese separated by strong iron doors from the Europeans, and near the doors was rack filled with rifles, pistols, swords, etc., for use in case of mutiny, as two years ago the treacherous raseals broke through, kill ing the captain and crew. We had during our procession plenty of attention from the natives, and at every step we were quickly surrounded by a crowd, and for aught know were called in Chinese foreign devils" All were curious to examine our dress, etc., but certainly seemed to me harm less and pleasant. We went through many shops, temples, pagodas, etc., and at the execution ground saw fresh blood where two vera haheadAd tha day nrevious